Page 31 - 02ELA Y2 AUT guide_Neat

A PARABLE SET IN A DIFFERENT WORLD – THE TOPSY TURVY KINGDOM

Truth to Teach (Source)

Heart concept: Righteousness

 The truths and principles of God’s Kingdom are relevant to all people, of all places and of all times.

Way to Work (Means)

Select a parable set in a different world. I used ‘The Topsy Turvy Kingdom’ by Dottie and Josh
McDowell published by Tyndale for Kids (ISBN 0-8423-7218-0).

1. Show the front cover of a copy of ‘The Topsy Turvy Kingdom.’ This parable is not told by Jesus,
although it is written by people who love Jesus.

Remind the children that those who seek find, so pray for the Holy Spirit to make hearts tender to
receive anything he might want to say through this parable.

2. Read the first page. Ask the children what they notice about this story? (It is in rhyme. The
illustrations are quite funny.)

It starts off being rather silly, but then things began to get more seriously wrong.

Ask the children if they think this story is set in a real place. (It is set in an imaginary place long ago
but we can still learn true things through it.)

3. Leave the book open at the double page spread of Herbie and his dad. Hand out sheets containing
text from the introduction of Herbie and his dad, until the trumpet summoned Herbie’s dad to war.
The verse about the old man and the pepper could be added. Give a few minutes for children to try
to read the text themselves, then read it altogether. Ensure that everyone understands the text.

4. Go over the questions together and then ask the children to complete them. It may be appropriate
to let some children have a shortened worksheet with questions one to five on it only, while others
tackle all seven. Quick finishers could try to write a sentence for each of the words they have found
in the passage (question seven) on the back of their sheet.

5. Gather again. Re-read the first part of the text and then read through to the end of the story,
pausing to check comprehension, to let the children make comments, etc. It will be necessary to
change the occasional American English expression as you read.

Consider together the hidden meaning in this story. Perhaps it can be taken at different levels: -

 people in relation to God, with Herbie representing a child of God; his courage and the
costliness of standing up for what is right, cp. Jesus.

 children in the absence of an authority figure, be it a parent or teacher

It may be helpful to ask, “Who do you think the King is like?” “Who do you think Herbie is like?”
“Why do you think that?”

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